


A New World

by Savorybreakfasts



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Kid-fic, M/M, Post-Canon Cardassia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-05
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-12-24 10:56:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12011250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Savorybreakfasts/pseuds/Savorybreakfasts
Summary: The title and last line refer to this quote, "We are not in the least afraid of ruins. We are going to inherit the earth; there is not the slightest doubt about that. The bourgeoisie might blast and ruin its own world before it leaves the stage of history. We carry a new world here, in our hearts. That world is growing in this minute." Buenaventura Durruti, Spanish Civil War.The monster's tools is me taking a hopefully forgivable liberty with Audre Lorde's words.





	A New World

Tekana was screaming at Julian when Garak came home. He did not understand how his partner permitted this talk from his eldest, but did not intervene. Julian had once told him that their best idea for parenting was to do the opposite of whatever their fathers did. That, and to listen to their children. Garak did not agree that listening needed to happen to anyone speaking at that volume, but he took his bag filled with work and slipped quietly into the study.

A door slammed and Julian appeared in the study a moment later, rubbing his neck in fatigue. Garak looked at him questioningly.  


“Isn't she supposed to be going to a meeting for the neighborhood clean-up committee?”  


“Yes, and for some reason she insisted that she needed go wearing a low-cut shirt and make-up. I think there's a boy she has her eye on. I told her no; she told me I was ruining her life; she's not going, and it's my fault if she's not a good citizen because I stopped her from going to the meeting.”  


“Ah. The logic of youth. Shall I go see if I can get through to her?”  


“Maybe later. But we have a more serious problem. Orkide has been in her room since she came home. I've been unable to get a word out of her; she didn't eat her snack. Elim, I don't think I've ever seen her so distressed. I'm hoping you can find out.”  


“I'll see what I can do.”  


Half an hour later Garak emerged from their middle child’s room, his face dark.  


“Did you find out what happened?”  


“Her teacher. He was teaching a lesson on the occupation. He brought the topic around to the war orphans. He said there has been a breakdown of the social order and the Cardassian family structure as a result of exposure to Bajorans, especially the women, who led men to dishonor their families, then abandoned their children to orphanages that let just about anyone adopt them. Orkide said he looked at her after this speech. At lunch, the other children, empowered by this man, grouped up against her. She said one called her half-breed, and another told her she didn't have real parents.”  


The color drained out of Julian's face as he listened. Everything they wanted for their girls falling apart, everything they feared taking shape before his eyes. His first reaction was flight.  


“Garak, I don't know if we should be here. This would not happen on Earth! These sorts of things were ended centuries ago! My ancestors fought for a place in a country that had colonized them, colonized them and made life at their home unlivable, then barely accepted them when they sought refuge! They went through that, but for me it was ancient history. I never knew anything but comfort and opportunity. Any problems I had were created at home. Then I take my privilege and what? Make my child face what I never had to? Put my child directly in the path of this racism? How could we do this?! We knew what we faced bringing them to Cardassia. We should leave, move to Earth, to somewhere, anywhere but here.”  


Garak put his hands on Julian's shoulders and squeezed. His partner was barely holding it together. He rested his head on Garak's chest and was silent a moment, then pulled himself up.  


“No, no, that's letting them win; that's sending the exact wrong message to Orkide, she needs us to fight for her. This is her world as much as anyone’s, and I won't have some bastard bullying teacher say otherwise. I'll contact other parents; there must be some…”  


He stopped speaking as he realized that Garak was silent. “Why are you so calm, Elim?”  


“I'm listening to you, my dear. You have excellent ideas. You should organize parents.”  


“I don't like the look in your eyes. While I organize the parents, you'll, what? Sit back? You expect me to believe that?”  


“Julian. We agree we need to oppose this.”  


“Ah, but do we agree on tactics?”  


They stood in silence for a moment.  


“Elim, I'm homicidally angry as well. If I had the means, the particular skill-set, that you do, I might be thinking the same.”  


“Don't presume to know my thoughts.”  


“Elim. This isn't the time. Don't pretend with me! I know you; know what it means when you go into this state of eerie calm, and yes, I know what you are thinking and I'm telling you no.”  


“This is our child, Julian.”  


“I know, love, I know. And I know we want to protect her. But hey, what's our first rule of parenting?”  


“I’m not turning into that monster.”  


“Then you can't use the monster’s tools. Elim, we are making a new world here. We need to make it safe for Orkide and we can never do that with the old ways. This isn't Federation optimism. This isn't even Julian Bashir naïveté. This is truth. We have to make the world we want our children to inherit.”  


“Perhaps I could just stop by, scare him a bit?”  


“Hmm. No word or hint of your former occupation, but if your face takes on its menacing look I suppose that can't be helped. I'm going with you, though.”  


“I would never stop you. Now, let’s see if we can get some dinner into our girls. Kardelen should be up from her nap, and I am willing to let Tekana wear whatever she wants to the table.”  


“Yes. We have enough battles.”  


Julian took Garak's hand and they went to gather their family, knowing that a new world was possible. They carried it with them in their hearts.

**Author's Note:**

> The title and last line refer to this quote, "We are not in the least afraid of ruins. We are going to inherit the earth; there is not the slightest doubt about that. The bourgeoisie might blast and ruin its own world before it leaves the stage of history. We carry a new world here, in our hearts. That world is growing in this minute." Buenaventura Durruti, Spanish Civil War.  
> The monster's tools is me taking a hopefully forgivable liberty with Audre Lorde's words.


End file.
